Deja Vu
by Ramica
Summary: When the Emperor attacks Luke on the second death Star Vader is suddenly reminded of memories of the past. A sense of Deja vu as it were. Scenes from ROTS and ROTJ. Complete.


Déjà vu

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any of the characters owned within this story they are all owned, by George Lucas, the true Master of the Force.

Author's Note: This is my first Star Wars fanfic. I just saw Episode 3, and now a scene in ROTJ seems to make far more sense to me. This is the idea that occurred to me that linked those two movies in more ways then one. Some scenes from both ROTS and ROTJ occur, but I tried to not spoil anything in ROTS. Scenes from Jedi are based on memory alone. Does anyone recall when Jedi was also called Revenge instead of Return; ah the circle is truly complete.

He stood over me his blade pointed down ready to kill, his chest heaving slightly. Behind him came the sinister and yet, familiar laugh of the one I called Master.

" Good, now kill him and take your father's place at my side."

The anger that had flooded through him when he thought I would turn his sister had driven him to the point where I was brought literally, to the ground, he had sliced off my hand, and now that very same anger dissipated with the Emperor's words.

I could see his blue eyes gazing at a black-gloved hand holding his own lightsaber and then towards the stump, where my own mechanical hand had once been. For a brief moment he seemed almost undecided.

Then he seemed to realize what he was becoming, what path he may be treading whatever the case, he tossed his blade down the Death Star's core before turning to face the Emperor, he stood tall and straight as he spoke firmly of his choice.

" Never. I am a Jedi," he seemed to gesture to me, " Like my father before me."

The Emperor was not pleased I could sense his displeasure, and the scorn he now laced his words with " So be it _Jedi,_ if you will not be turned, **you **will be destroyed."

The Emperor then called upon the force to build the energy ball between his hands, energy that he could shoot out from his fingers, these sharp bright rays of electricity found their way from the Emperor into Luke.

The first bolts brought him down to the ground and I, even in my wounded state went to stand at my Master's side.

But somewhere in the dark regions of what was left of my mind, the part of my mind that was not always under constant pain, came memories of a different time and place. Memories and images came, that had been dredged up out of a certain familiarity.

A feeling that I had been there before at one point of my life, perhaps it was true that history repeats itself, maybe if only to see if we could learn from our mistakes. Perhaps these old memories I had thought, no longer existed or mattered to me, were only a strong sense of déjà vu. Through the Force one could indeed see the future, the past and much more.

I had not lied to Luke when I had told him the name Anakin didn't have any meaning for me. Anakin was dead. Anakin was gone.

From the back of my mind came a voice.

" You are the chosen one."

The chosen one, I was greater and stronger in the force then many of the Masters of my time. But I was not always obedient to the whims of the Masters; I did things they frowned upon, kept other things hidden that could have had me kicked out of the order. I pushed them to their limits, and yet they had such hopes for me. But in the end they had deceived me.

Palpatine, Chancellor Palpatine knew me better then I seemed to know myself, he knew of all my secrets, knew my heart's desires and he was aware of the inner rage that threatened to consume me, the anger and fear that I managed to keep locked away from all others, he seemed to know. With Palpatine though I felt that I could be myself, and not what was wanted of me.

There was only one other in my life, who probably knew me better then Palpatine, but she betrayed me too, I would have forgiven her. I would have gone with her; perhaps I should have gone with her when she came to beg me to.

Palaptine reassured me that what I felt was true and not wrong, to look at things on a broader scope, by doing so he guided me until the man I was had died. Died in fire, died in flame, perhaps the very flames of my own rage had burst free to consume me.

Yet these memories of this forgotten space and time stirred within me now.

There had been, for a better part of history as far as was known, always two Sith. A Master and an Apprentice. When one died, the Master, whether new or old would take on a new apprentice to train. For the Sith, life was expendable because one thought only of themselves.

I had killed the Apprentice, of course when I did kill Lord Dooku I didn't realize who Palpatine truly was, at that time he was my friend a Senator who continued to serve giving up so much of himself to bring peace back to the Allied worlds.

I recall Palpatine goading me to kill Dooku, just as he had encouraged Luke to finish me off.

Luke though had the strength to refuse Palpatine, to declare his allegiance, where I had been weak. My son was able to do what I could not do. I had accepted the dark side and I had committed great atrocities shortly after ally myself with my new Master.

At that time I thought I had made the right choice, I did it for what I felt were the right reasons. I would have done anything for those I cared for. It went against the Jedi code where the sacrifice of a Jedi life for a worthy cause was acceptable. I would not betray any, who I considered my friends.

I knew Luke had that same loyalty to his friends, thus I knew I could draw him to me, with his friends suffering in Bespin.

I didn't want to lose Padme; I would sooner throw away all my Jedi training then lose her.

If things had been different, could my vision have changed from what I had dreaded?

Did it matter?

No, it was too late to go back. I had plunged dived into the darkness, accepting it as a part of me, and even as I accepted it, I knew there was a chance to take power from Palpatine. I dived into the black coldness, of the dark side and each death, especially of the innocent gave me greater power, but cut me off further from the light and the Jedi, I once called friends.

True the only Jedi I truly thought of, as my friend was Obi Wan. The other Jedi Masters were jealous of my power; they sought to control me, to use me. They betrayed me. Even Obi Wan turned against me at the last.

Yes, so it was very familiar to hear my Master telling Luke, to finish me off, as I had with Dooku. My time was done and he now had another younger apprentice, or he hoped so but Luke had refused.

Luke writhed on the metal floor very near to the Death Star's core trapped in deep pain. His young face showing the torment he was in, " Father help me." He begged.

I had seen this before too, heard a similar plea for help at that time it had all come down to a choice, to help a Jedi Master or to help Palpatine, the Sith Lord.

A large window in the Chancellor's office had been broken during the battle and the two faced off against one another there, Palpatine on his back and Mace Windu standing above him determined to kill him.

To kill would have been wrong, just as I had been wrong to kill Dooku. He ought to have been taken alive, the courts were to decide Palpatine's fate but Mace insisted that Palpatine controlled them, he was a Sith who needed to be destroyed. I knew he was a Sith, Palpatine had told me so and that had shocked me to the core.

Palpatine had also told me other things, like how the Jedi sought to gain control and take over I didn't believe it until now.

" Please Anakin help me I can't defend my self much longer" Palpatine pleaded with me to come to his aid. At the same time Mace wanted me to not listen to him. Had he sensed my conflict, my uncertainty?

I was sure Palpatine was right and he was still my friend, then he told me that there was still a way to save her, the one I loved, the one I would give up everything for. Give it up I did.

When I struck it was at Mace, cutting his lightsabre from him, then the Emperor rallied and with another electric attack sent the Master Jedi to his death. I knew I would be blamed for his death. I knew then there was no turning back. I knew I could no longer be Jedi so I swore fealty to the Emperor.

Now here was the choice again.

Choose between a Jedi, my son or choose my Master. As before I was uncertain.

I had listened to the Emperor for so long.

The Jedi Master's all had such hope for me in my time. For I was the chosen one, the one meant to bring balance to the force, instead I tipped the scales further to darkness and evil. Then again is not all prophecy open to interpretation?

Perhaps it was not I, but Luke who was the true chosen one. For he had remained strong where I had been weak. He was powerful and strong in the force and adept at flying as I was.

" Father please" he moaned reaching out a hand toward me.

Undecided, unsure I looked from the Emperor to Luke strangely enough I seemed to see an echo of the past of Mace Windu and the Emperor, only Luke was where the Emperor had once been.

At that time I had a choice to make, now here was the choice again presenting itself to me, as if I was being given a chance to correct my mistake.

I had not been with Luke a long time, I didn't really know my son, but he had awoken in me the memory of what it was to be Jedi. He had stirred old memories that I thought no longer existed. He had a love for me, he cared for me, I sensed it, and in a way no one had for such a very long time now.

Suddenly I made my choice, I picked the Emperor up in my arms holding him, as the full onslaught of electricity found its way into my mechanical body. Those bolts of electricity shorted out circuitry that was meant to keep me alive. I didn't care I tossed the Emperor down the Death Star's core and an eerie echoing wail was heard.

Weakened unable to carry on, fighting for my very breath, Luke pulled me back from the pit of darkness.  
It was Luke who tried to get me out alive, but I knew it wasn't to be. He would not leave me behind, just as I would not leave Obi Wan behind. I had cut him down on the second Death Star. Obi Wan my friend, my brother, my father how could I have gone so astray?

Knowing I didn't have much time, and wanting Luke to get out of there I asked him to remove my mask so I could look on him with my own eyes.

" But you'll die." He protested.

" Nothing can stop that now," I told him.

So he removed the mask allowing me my dieing wish.

" Luke you were right about me, tell your sister you were right" I gulped, " Now go my son. Leave me."

" I can't leave you I've got to save you."

" You already have Luke." I whispered weakly, even then I felt my life force slipping away and I welcomed death, no matter what it held it couldn't be any worse then the life I had lived for these many years.

I was aware of becoming one with the force, and was greeted by two old friends; they were waiting for me with smiles on their faces. I knew they forgave me for all the crimes and atrocities I had committed as Vader. They were there to welcome me back as the Jedi I was again.

" Balance you have brought" Yoda began he gave me a sly smile, " though late you are" he chuckled at his own little joke.

" So it seems you are the chosen one after all" Obi Wan agreed as he clapped me on the back.

" Fulfilled your destiny you have" Yoda remarked kindly as he leaned on his gimer stick.

" Perhaps it was more Luke for he seemed to be the catalyst." I demurred.

" It was you who killed Palpatine and by returning to the light there is now balance where there was none before" Obi Wan assured me, " Once again Anakin you have done what no other Jedi could. For while Jedi have fallen; on occasion to the dark side, you are the first to return to the light. Padme was right as was your son, there was still good in you."

I bowed knowing that it was my son Luke, the Jedi who had the strong love for his father, a father he never truly knew. The boy who had the strength to live and die a Jedi instead of turning to the dark ways of the Sith. A boy who in my heart and mind would always be the true chosen one.

The end.


End file.
